No Good In Goodbye
by HeyThereDelilah2018
Summary: Finnick Odair never thought he'd win the Hunger Games. But here he was, standing in front of the Justice Building preparing for the unpreparable. He'd been forced to do the unthinkable, but he'd rather go through it than have his district partner deal with it. She had been so young, it wasn't fair. No one should have to die before they were even fourteen years old.(One-shot)


Finnick Odair never thought he would win the Hunger Games. But here he was, standing in the Justice Building and preparing for the unpreparable. The fifteen year old boy had grown up too fast in the past six months, and he very deeply regretted it. He had been forced to do the unthinkable, and all he wanted to do was curl up and die. Finnick didn't want this, but he also knew he'd rather deal with it than have his little District Partner go through it.

She had been so young, Finnick thought as he tried to think about his speech. She didn't deserve to die, so why did she have to? Her time wasn't up yet. She just had time to make a mark on people, before she had to leave again. How fair was that, for anyone? Besides, nobody should have to die before they were fourteen years old.

The thoughts were forced out of his mind as the double doors began to open. Finnick tugged at the end of his navy blue, button-down shirt; a nervous habit he'd never gotten rid of. In fact, the habit seemed to have been gotten even worse in the past few months than ever before. Finnick knew what it was from, but didn't want to admit it. That would mean that they won, the Capitol. Or should he say President Snow and his gang of Gamemakers. Most of the Capitol citizens were just oblivious to what was really happening, and Finnick had to see that first hand.

"And now, the victor of the 65th Annual Hunger Games, Finnick Odair!" Mayor Odela called out with a motion of his hand. It was time.

Finnick sucked in a breath and began to walk out towards the stage. It was the first step that was the hardest for the boy, though he couldn't explain why. His legs felt like lead beneath him, ready to collapse at any moment. He didn't want to go through with this. He didn't want to face the crowd of people. But most of all, he didn't want to have to talk about 'her' in front of her family. But Finnick knew he would have to. He had already seen what happened when you didn't do as you were told.

As he got to the microphone, Finnick tried to swallow the lump forming in his throat. Why was it so much harder in his own district? He tried so hard not to look at the first row of people, where he knew her family would be standing. She had talked so much about them, that he almost felt a part of them. But that had been foolish, of course, as now she was gone and Finnick had literally no connection to them, except for being the boy who couldn't save their daughter, sister, aunt. "I want to thank first the people who gave me so much motivation," Finnick began, clearing his throat. The crowd fell silent as the bronze-haired teen began to speak, hanging onto his words. "I want to thank the people who sponsored me, I honestly couldn't have done it without you." That was the cold hard truth. Finnick knew the only reason he won, was because he had been sent that trident. It was his only sponsor gift in the Games, but it had been what won him the whole thing. "I will forever be grateful for everything you guys have done, and I hope I can repay that debt someday."

That was easy, but now came the part that he'd dreaded. Finnick looked down at the front row before he addressed them. There was an older couple, both man and woman trying so hard not to cry. There were six boys around them, each of different ages. That much was obvious by sight. They had to be the couple's children, 'her' brothers. Then there was a young woman holding a sleeping baby. Oh no, oh no, Finnick thought. She looked exactly like his district partner, right down to the freckles on her nose. That was obviously 'her' older sister and nephew. Finnick shook his head a little bit, looking down at the ground as he began to speak.

"I'm not one for crying, otherwise I would just be a mess by now," Finnick began, looking back up. He was trying so hard not to just start sobbing. His heart clenched at the thought of this couple's daughter, never to return home alive. She would have been returned in a wooden box by now, Finnick thought to himself, dressed up like a tribute still. She would have a funeral at sea, her body left to the ocean with water lilies around her. That was the ritual for tributes who were killed in the arena."Odelia was a girl who could smile through anything. Hell, she was smiling even when I let her die. I hate that I didn't do anything, I have hated myself everyday since for it. She was so optimistic, and so ready to help people. Odelia wanted to see the good in everyone, and that was her greatest downfall in the arena, but her greatest trait in life. She made everyone around her so happy, even if they didn't exactly realize it. I didn't know her before the arena, but I do know that she shouldn't have died so young. It's not fair, and I would trade places with her if I could.

"I know this won't mean much to Odelia's family, but I am so sorry. I am so so so sorry I didn't do anything for her. She was so innocent and...," Finnick trailed off, choking back a sob. It hurt to keep talking about her, but he had to get this off of his chest while he could. "We can't go back in time to change what happened. She's gone. That's cruel to say, but she is. But Odelia is still here, as a little piece of everything. She's the bit of optimism everyone has, she's the sunrise in the morning that gives us hope, she's the calm waves that bring luck to our sailors and fishermen. Odelia is that act of sheer kindness, she's the water lilies that protect the others like her. The physical being of Odelia is gone, but her spirit and her memory will forever be with us."

There were claps from the crowd, of course. Finnick's parents would not be there to clap, neither would his younger sister and brother. His heart clenched, and Finnick squeezed his eyes shut at the thought. But that was the cruel, sick reality of it. Finnick's family was with Odelia, wherever one goes after this life. They would be there to protect her, and somehow, in someway, that made Finnick feel a little better.


End file.
